'The government is failing us': Laid-off Americans struggle in coronavirus crisis

Claudia Alejandra, 37, furloughed from her job at the makeup counter at Macy's amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), poses for a portrait near a lake in Orlando, Florida, U.S., March 6, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Kolczynski

(Reuters) - For Claudia Alejandra, unemployment has become a full-time job.

Since losing her position at the makeup counter at the Macy’s department store in Orlando, Florida, on March 28, Alejandra spends her days trying to secure the unemployment benefits that should have arrived weeks ago, sometimes placing more than 100 calls a day.